Overview

Coughing: Treatment, Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

What is the treatment?

Cough is a condition we all face from time to time. It could be because of smoke, strong smell, cold weather or any other reason. Cough is generally nothing to be concerned about if it does not long. Chronic cough is a condition where cough lasts over 8 weeks in adults and over 4 weeks in children. It may interrupt your daily activities, hamper your sleep and leave you exhausted. It could be due to postnasal drip, blood pressure drugs, chronic bronchitis, asthma or infections. There are several treatments to treat chronic cough. You must consult a doctor and not try to treat the cough yourself if it has been there for a long time. There are drugs in the form of pills, gel and ointment that can be consumed to get over cough. Cough due to bacterial infection can be treated by consuming antibiotics. Acid blockers and cough suppressants are also used to cure cough.

How is the treatment done?

If you have been suffering from cough for a long time, you may have to go through different tests like X ray, computerised tomography test, lung function tests, scope tests etc. to determine the actual cause of it. If your cough is due to allergies or post nasal drip, there are standard drugs like antihistamines, glucocorticoids and decongestants, to treat the condition. Bacterial infection behind your chronic cough can be cured by antibiotics. If your cough is asthma related, glucocorticoids and bronchodilators are the treatments that will reduce inflammation and clear your airways. Your doctor may prescribe you cough suppressants if these treatments do not work but there is no foolproof evidence of the effectiveness of these suppressants.

Who is eligible for the treatment? (When is the treatment done?)

If you have been suffering from cough for over 8 weeks, you must consult a doctor and get it treated. Children suffering from cough for over 4 weeks should be treated.

Who is not eligible for the treatment?

Normal cough for a short period of time is nothing to be worried about. It can be treated by some home remedies.

Are there any side effects?

Cough treatments are generally not known to have any side effects.

What are the post-treatment guidelines?

You must have cough drops and warm liquids to soothe your throat. Liquids will thin the mucus in your throat helping the cough heal sooner. You must avoid the consumption of tobacco and tobacco smoke.

How long does it take to recover?

It may take 2-3 weeks to recover if proper medication is taken.

What is the price of the treatment in India?

Consultation to cure cough may cost around ₹1000- ₹2000.

Are the results of the treatment permanent?

The results of cough treatment are mostly permanent.

What are the alternatives to the treatment?

You can cure cough as soon as it starts, at home by some simple remedies like consuming warm liquids or cough syrup, avoiding tobacco and tobacco smoke. Keep yourself warm and use a humidifier at your home. Hot tea with a few drops of honey and ginger is known to soothe the throat.

Popular Health Tips

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. It leads to inflammation of the lungs which is filled with fluid or pus. It can range from being mild to severe depending on a person’s health and age. Pneumonia can be caused by a variety of germs including bacteria, virus, and fungi. It can become life-threatening and dangerous for people:

Infants and children aged between 2 to 5 years

Older people aged above 65 years

Those who have a weak immune system or have other forms of respiratory problems

Pneumonia can be contracted from different places and can become risky when:

Bacterial pneumonia can easily be contracted from hospital and healthcare which is termed as community-acquired pneumonia. The chances of acquiring pneumonia can increase if are on the ventilator.

Alcohol- Having excessive or regular alcohol can lead to worsening of your pneumonia

If you are exposed to animals like birds, rabbits and rats, then the chances of you contracting pneumonia might be greater.

If you have some medical problems like heart or kidney disease, then your pneumonia can get worse. The situation may be particularly precarious for asthma patients.

Newborns and infants having pneumonia may not show any symptoms that make it difficult to detect the disease. Also when you have mild symptoms, it is termed as walking pneumonia.

Diagnosis:
If you have pneumonia, then you should consult a doctor who will prescribe a few tests:

Blood test-It is mainly done to identify the germ causing the disease

Chest X-Ray- It helps the doctor locate the exact position of pneumonia.

Pulse Oximetry- It measures the oxygen level in a person’s body.

Sputum Test- Fluid from your lungs is taken and tested to know the cause of infection.

Additional tests may be advised by your doctor that includes CT scan and Pleural fluid culture.

Treatments:
For mild or walking pneumonia, doctors may prescribe certain antibiotics and cough medicines to treat pneumonia. Within a week or two, your lung will start to clear up and you will feel better. Moreover, have enough fluid and sleep and do not smoke.

However, if you fall in the risky category and are experiencing pneumonia symptoms even after having medicines, you should get yourself or your child hospitalized. But there are ways to prevent pneumonia like giving vaccinations to your children and washing your hands. Also, lessen your smoking or stop altogether. So don’t let pneumonia turn into a life-threatening disease by following these simple measures. Consult your doctor immediately if have any of the pneumonia symptoms and fall in the category of – infants and children, people above 65 years of age and people with low immunity. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Pulmonary tuberculosis was a fatal disease in the past in India. On an average, 95% of the deaths occur in third world countries, especially the developing ones, due to tuberculosis. In India, the deaths account to 50% out of the 95%. Such is the scenario that everyone is apprehensive if they have a prolonged cough and cold. As sputum with blood is a clear sign that the person is suffering from tuberculosis, steps must be taken promptly and at a swift pace to streamline things for quick care.

Tuberculosis is an air-borne disease and it can easily travel through the air when the affected person is in contact. In tuberculosis, specific bacteria called mycobacterium tuberculosis affects the lungs. On an average, 10% of such infections progress into acute disease and kill the affected individuals.

The symptoms of tuberculosis are seen more in patients suffering from AIDS as their immunity is often compromised. Early detection can be made possible through a chest X-Ray, microscopic examination, and the nature of the fluids. In case you are suffering from a prolonged cough and cold, you must go for tuberculin skin test or blood test to find out more about the problem.

Why is it important to eat a proper diet during pulmonary tuberculosis?Malnutrition and pulmonary tuberculosis are interrelated. If you are eating right and inducting all healthy means in your daily lifestyle, it will build your immunity and help fight against grave diseases. When you have pulmonary tuberculosis, the desire or craving for the food will disappear and eventually, your body will wither off. You will lose mass by losing muscles.

So, eating healthily can only help you stay strong to defeat pulmonary tuberculosis. Those who are suffering from tuberculosis face challenges with nutrients in their body. They are deprived of essential micro-nutrients and they have severe deficiencies of zinc, Vitamin A, D, C & E, selenium, iron and copper.

A protein- and vitamin-rich diet can boost the immunity of the body and prevent deadly diseases from wreaking havoc in the body. So, if you are wondering about food, here are a few items that you can eat and few that you can avoid when you have pulmonary tuberculosis.

Food to eat

Kale and spinach are instant sources of high iron and Vitamin B, which will help you power-up your immune system.

Whole grains like wheat, bread and cereals are a must-have during this time-tested period.

Carrots, peppers, tomatoes, blueberries, and cherries are rich anti-oxidants and they can boost your immune system by flushing out the oxidants from the body, which are tantamount to poison.

Vegetable oil (not butter) could be a “green go” during pulmonary tuberculosis.

Food to avoid

Greasy food like beef, chicken, and mutton must be avoided. They can increase the cholesterol level in the body and compromise on the power of immunity.

Avoid margarine and butter. One should not eat cake, pastries, and other food with hydrogenated oil.

Keep an eye on your regular diet, work to build a strong immunity, and always stay healthy.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Are you suffering from chronic bronchitis and are looking for ideal treatment measures? Bronchitis occurs when your windpipe or trachea and your large and small bronchitis within your lungs get inflamed because of infections and several other causes. The condition is considered to be chronic when your cough with mucus is persistent for at least three months. Chronic bronchitis is a condition that falls under the group of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Smoking, inhaled irritants, secondhand smoke, inhaled fumes, and certain viruses are primary causes of chronic bronchitis.

Symptoms
The symptoms and characteristics of chronic bronchitis are as follows:

Phlegm may be produced. The production of excess phlegm indicates that your lung and the lower respiratory tract are infected.

The cough experienced is present on almost all days of the month, for over a period of three months.

The forceful coughing because of chronic bronchitis is painful, and makes your abdominal and chest muscles sore. The coughing is likely to be very severe, and may injure your chest walls or make you faint.

During exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, wheezing may be experienced because of inflammation in the airways and muscular tightness. This, in turn, leads to shortness of breath.

Treatment
The treatment of chronic bronchitis depends on the cause. There is no specific cure for the condition, and its treatment aims at improving your lung function and reducing the symptoms.

Several medicines are used for managing the cough, and for loosening and clearing secretions. In the case of uncontrollable coughing spells, cough suppressants might be prescribed.

Broncho dilator inhalers are used for opening the airways and for the management of wheezing.

Certain nebulizer treatments are also recommended in some cases.

Corticosteroids are used for reducing the inflammation in the airways. These may be used in the form of inhaled corticosteroids, or may be taken orally.

In some cases, antibiotic medications may be required for the treatment of chronic bronchitis. Antibiotics are usually used when there is a bacterial infection, and in people with chronic lung problems, who require antibiotics to be treated.

Home oxygen might be required in extremely serious cases of chronic bronchitis.

In very rare cases, a patient may have to be hospitalized in case of severe breathing difficulty that does not respond to treatment. This is necessary in cases of complications in chronic bronchitis, and in patients who suffer from underlying heart problems.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Coughing of blood is a serious problem in comparison to normal coghing. The coughing up of blood that originates from below the level of the larynx is known as hemoptysis. This can vary in terms of severity depending on the amount of blood being expelled. This disease is a common condition, but on an average, less than 5% of hemoptysis cases are life-threatening.

Oral antibiotics are usually the first stage of treatment for this condition. Smokers will also be urged to quit cigarettes as this can worsen their condition. Treatment for minor hemoptysis may also include:

In its later stages, hemoptysis can be treated with a minimally invasive procedure known as endovascular embolization or with surgery. In some cases, endovascular embolization may also be sued to stabilise the patient before surgery. This procedure reduces the pressure in the hypertrophic arterial blood vessels and decreases the risk of perioperative bleeding.

Hemoptysis is also one of the most common complaints of lung cancer patients. Depending on the stage of cancer and the amount of blood expectorated, treatment in some cases may not be possible. In such cases, a parenteral opioid and fast-acting benzodiazepine may be administered.

Hemoptysis rarely affects children. The symptoms of this condition include:
Sudden onset of a cough with bloody phlegm

Chest pain: Medical attention should be sought in cases where this condition recurs often, if it lasts for longer than a fortnight or if the volume of blood expectorated is more than 30ml per day. The various tools that help in the diagnosis of this condition are:

Chest radiography: This imaging modality helps lateralize bleeding and understand the amount of lung involvement. It is quick, inexpensive and can also help detect other underlying abnormalities.

Bronchoscopy: This involves the insertions of a rigid or flexible endoscope into the bronchial passages to check the airways and determines active bleeding sites.

MDCT: A multidetector CT is a non-invasive imaging tool that provides a comprehensive evaluation of airways, lung parenchyma, and thoracic vessels. It can also be used to uncover potential causes of bleeding such as bronchiectasis, pulmonary infections and lung cancer. In some cases, a multidetector CT angiography may also be used.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

A cough is not necessarily to be worried about always. It is the natural response of our body to throw out harmful particles which somehow managed to enter our respiratory tract. There is sticky mucus situated in the pathway to lungs which plays a major role in trapping harmful particles. Coughing once or twice is generally a natural phenomenon but if it’s persistent it is called the chronic cough, and there is a reason to worry.

Is your cough chronic?
An acute cough aggravates within a very short span of time, maybe 2-3 days. There are situations when coughing doesn’t hinder your day to day activities and are easily neglected. Sometimes these infrequent bouts of a cough can persist for long and continue for more than 2 months, which has been characterized as a chronic cough.

A chronic cough is sometimes found associated with blocked or running nose. Persons suffering from a chronic cough feel very exhaustive and suffer from a headache, dizziness along with excessive sweating. Under such situations, you must consult a pulmonologist.

Know the causes of a chronic cough
There are several causes for persistent coughing, and the following are the common causes of a chronic cough and medication is taken in consultation with a trained medical practitioner only.

Infections: Bacterial or viral infection in lungs can be one of the causes of a chronic cough. Tuberculosis is one of them which initiates as a chronic cough and is later characterized by emitting blood after cough bouts.

Drug Interactions: Antihypertensive drugs have been found to be responsible for a chronic cough in some people. Hypersensitivity to the prescribed drugs is found to responsible for the cough bouts, and change in medication takes care of the issue.

Asthma: It’s a situation characterized by blockages in the bronchi which disallows the normal air flow during inhalation and exhalation. Due to inadequate oxygen, brain assumes that there is a blockage which needs to be expelled and coughing pattern starts. However, asthma has to be treated, and the bronchi have to be brought back to normal with the help of medication by an expert medical practitioner.

COPD: The most common cause of a chronic cough nowadays is COPD, better known as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. This is one of the progressive diseases which means it deteriorates with time. Active smokers are the biggest victims of it. Persons exposed to high degree of pollution or similar occupational hazards are also at high risk. Exposure to these pollutants causes inflammatory responses in lungs resulting in the tapering of the airways and destruction of lung tissues. These can be measured by lung function tests. In asthma, the narrow airways can be broadened by external medication, but in case of COPD, it’s not possible.

To conclude, chronic cough is a preventable disease by reducing the exposure to risk factors as mentioned above. Quitting smoking, improving the indoor air quality with the use of solar cooking and moving on battery run vehicles can prevent COPD from further worsening. You can also undergo pulmonary rehabilitation program which is being counseled and coordinated by many physicians to benefit the individual suffering from the issue. Consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

The following is a list of possible side effects that may occur from the use of Montek Lc Tablet. This is not a comprehensive list. These side-effects are possible, but do not always occur. Some of the side-effects may be rare but serious.
Sleepiness
Cough
Dizziness
Indigestion
Rash
Abdominal pain
Muscle cramps
Dry mouth
Irritability
Diarrhea
Exhaustion
Inflammation of the ear
Muscle cramping
Fatigability
Flushing
Trouble sleeping
Vomiting
Fatigue
Swelling of the deep layers of skin
Sore throat
Restlessness
Sleep walking
Behavior
Fever
Nasopharyngitis
Bleeding from the nose
Elevated levels of liver enzymes
Hypersensitivity reactions
Mood related changes
Nightmares
Headache
Feeling anxious
Sinus pain
Stuffy nose
Aggression
Agitation
Joint pain
Insomnia
Pain in group of muscles
Nausea
Pancreatitis

Novomoc 250 is a low dose for you. And should check whether you are getting cough because of cough or anything else. Do steam inhalation and also saline gargle. Don't drink anything cold. Keep taking sip of water every now and then. For detailed info please make a private consult.

Get a thorough checkup done and get your medication accordingly. You may also do gargling with half t-spoon of rock salt, daily 3 times before meals to release some of the symptoms. Also pranayam and yoga may help you in this regard.

I am Dr Nikhil Modi I am a consultant respiratory medicine in Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi. Today I will be talking about tuberculosis, as you know tuberculosis is one of the important diseases which we come across especially in a country like India. Tuberculosis what do we know about it, it is actually a disease which is caused by bacteria called microbacterium tuberculosis. It is a slow-growing bacteria hence symptoms of tuberculosis noted are very shuttle and slow to progress. How do we come to know that we have to get workout for tuberculosis? It is important to work upstart as early as possible because controlling the disease is possible if proper treatment is started. So what will be the symptoms which you will come across when you suffer from tuberculosis? Tuberculosis firstly can involve any part of the body, but most commonly it involves our lungs and the lining over the lungs, it is called as pulmonary tuberculosis. So the most common symptoms which we come across are cough which may be dry or sometimes we may have some sputum along with it, also one of the important features which is seen is presence of blood in sputum. So if anytime sputum is having blood you should get alarm and immediately consultant a specialist. Cough is usually caused by most of the allergic symptoms or other infections, so how do we differentiate, it is actually not easily differentiable from other cough but if your cough is persisting for more than 2 weeks then our work up of tuberculosis becomes important. So if you have a long-term cough you are Hemoptysis then always consult a specialist and go for the work up for tuberculosis. Secondly presence of low grade fever which may persist, if you are having weight loss, your appetite is reduce for a long time all this can be symptoms of tuberculosis. So in all these cases, a workup for tuberculosis becomes a must so at that point in time you need to consult a specialist. And it is easy to treat tuberculosis, if it is identified and drugs are good but the treatment is at least for a period of 6 months, which you have to take regularly otherwise tuberculosis may become resistant, the bacteria may become resistant and then it is difficult to treat it is called as MDR tuberculosis but now we have a treatment for that but the treatment may continue for two and a half years and it requires constant monitoring. There can be side effects from the drugs, but if you are in a proper supervision then that side effect can be minimised and the disease can we cured hundred percent. So any symptoms which may point out toward tuberculosis you should not ignore and consult a specialist as soon as possible. This is the basic crux about tuberculosis and I want to just say ki just be ready for it and it can be treated easily.

For any queries for my point of view if you want to ask you can visit me at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi or you can contact me online on Lybrate platform.

Thank you.

Treatment of Cough and Cold

Hello, I am Dr Anup Sabharwal, an ENT specialist, practicing in South Delhi. And I am currently associated with BLK hospital for surgeries. I am here to discuss some common ENT problems.

All children do have frequent coughs and colds which can lead to various diseases for which you need some cough drops and some anti allergics. Common problems associated with chest cough and colds are ear infection which happens after the cough and cold mostly in this rainy season and it travels in school. In school one kid gets a cold, the whole School almost start getting infection and after that is ear infection. We see some child have pus coming from the ear and it is treated with a group of antibiotics so that infection settles quickly.

The Other common thing we just feel is ear wax. Ear wax is natural. It keeps forming, keeps shedding. Mostly the problem of ear wax comes when you try to clean the ears. When you clean the children's ears, it just pushes the wax in and probably getting more air bags and ear infection. It is easier to use some wax drops off and on so that the wax keeps coming out of the ear. If your child has some ear problem then the best way is to see an ENT doctor.

Cutting sore throat is an another thing that children complain about. First line of treatment is just salt water gargle and using some pain killer like crocin. Every sore throat does not need an antibiotic and does not need very aggressive treatment. If your child has severe fever and sore throat so definitely it has to be treated right away.

Another major problem that we have seen in child (diagnosed or not diagnosed), is hypertrophy in children which can cause nose, ear and tonsils problem. Treatment is again that treat the infections. It is a simple procedure and from child's perspective and parent's perspective, anaesthesia gives relief right away for any kind of pain or discomfort. The effect is instantaneous and long lasting because the Androids do development of the face and ear and thus lifelong.

If you want to consult me you can get an appointment through lybrate and you can also ask for a video through lybrate.

Child Health

How to maintain Good Health in children?

Hello everyone. I'm Kanchan Patwardhan. I'm a Clinical Dietician and Nutritionist working in this field from last 22yrs. Today, we are going to speak about how to increase health and stamina in children. You know healthy brain begins with smart nutrition. Diet is actually very important because your body's organ and tissues need proper nutrition to work effectively. So, without good nutrition your body is proned to diseases, infection, fatigue etc. If your children's diet is not nutritionally dense then definitely they're prone to infection and diseases. So better is you give your child a good nutrition and you know how you can give it? It's very easy. There are ceratin ways in which we can give it to them, provide them good nutrition.

There are many mothers who come to me and say that my child doesn't eat fruits, my children doesn't eat this and that. So I always ask them, do you eat that fruit, do you eat papaya, apple? If you don't eat that how are you expecting your child to eat that? So first you start that because whatever children learns, they learn it from you only. Children are very fast learner, they grasp very fast, in subconscious mind also they're learning things. So if you eat in front of them they will think my mother must be eating something very good or something very delicious and even if one day they don't look at you, second day they don't look at you but on the third day they will definitely come and try what you're eating and the same thing will become a habit. So it is very easy how to teach them to take up nutritious food. First you eat and subconsciously they will also start liking good food.

How will you see if your child is having proper nutrition or not? If he is having low concentration problem, if he is having frequent cough and cold, if he is having infections, if he is having dull skin, in the teenager if he is having pimples or if he is having mood swings, having tensions, irritation. All these problems if he is having that means your child's diet is not proper. So please look at your child's diet and find out the root cause of your problems. You must give right proteins to your child because right proteins are neccessary for repairing body tissue, development of healthy brain, proper functions of hormone and any wear and tear, if it is there then protein is going to actually help you out and heal any wear and tear. So please include protein in the diet, you can obtain proteins from fish, milk, cheese, eggs, nuts, pulses etc. So proteins are equally important.

At the same time you must give them anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals through fruits and vegetables. And at the same time you must give them good quality complex carbohydrates also. For the child's growth and development calcium is equally important because if you give enough calcium the child's bones will become strong and they will become tall. So please give them good calcium such as almonds, soya, beans, dairy products, peas, brocolli etc in your child's diet. Please give right quality iron to your children that comes from green leafy vegetables, pomegranate, eggs, cysmic seeds, garden green seeds, beans, rajma, chole, chane etc. These are the very good sources of iron. With it your children should go for physical activities, they can opt for any activity, they can play cricket, they can play tennis, they can play anything but not indoors. They should play outside for proper physical and mental growth.

Hello, everybody, I am Dr Rahul Yadav, a paediatrician. Today we'll be discussing a very important topic with our home remedies related to children regarding cold.

So now, as you all know cold and chest congestion is very common among children and it might occur as many times as six to seven times every year. This is a pretty much normal for each and every kid. If you have a child you would have definitely experienced the agony of the child having cold and chest condition during any time during his childhood.

So, first of all, I would like to give you one piece of warning. A child with cold and chest congestion having sneezing, which might be increased intensity of sounds when the child is breathing in or out, signs of respiratory distress which might be increased, work of breathing increase rate or breathing or difficulty in even uttering normal words. In that scenario, you have to rush the child immediately go to the nearest doctor or to an emergency or hospital near your home. Another scenario would be if your child is suffering from asthma. In that scenario, I would advise you to take proper precautions and follow the instructions of your doctor regarding inhalers or nebulizers before trying any of the following home remedies.

So what actually can become very indiscreet. Home remedies can treat a child suffering from cold with no signs of respiratory distress with a few gurgling sounds while breathing.

Is it actually useful? Actually yes home remedies might even be better than medicines. Any common day-to-day cold and chest congestion. So what are the home remedies can do. One is the easiest would be to start honey. Honey has natural immune boosters which you can easily stage.

Can it be given to each and every child?

Yes, it can be given to each and every child but do not use it for any child less than one year of age. The reason behind it would be because of the incidence of bottling improxim in the honey which can be very deadly towards the less than one year of age.

You can even mix the honey with a little bit of lemon juice or ginger paste to make the child accept those Honey well. With honey you have to just pick up the caution in a case of a diabetic child and that you should not be over given the honey but in an otherwise, you can give the honey as many as times as you want. Maybe 1 psf every three to four hour. Another thing another home remedy that you can try out is humidification. Humidification can be done by either a cold humidification or humidification. Cold humidification is safer. Warm humidification is by the steam. Steam is very dangerous in a child as it can lead to burns also. So the better way is to close all the doors and windows of the house and thus put the steamer in one corner of the room and let the whole room be humid, that will help the child a lot. Another thing that you can do is to use normal sign nasal drops to keep the nostrils of the child clean. As the child's nose remains clean, the child will be able to breathe easier and would be much more comfortable and would even respond better to other measures. As you have to remember that cold in a child is ninety-nine percent because of viruses and that it generally takes seven to ten days for the treatment to average space and it's a natural course of the disease. So have to wait for that time you have to be patient. These are the common remedies that you can do which will elevate most of the symptoms that your child would be suffering from.

If you have any other queries regarding this or any other issues regarding to pediatrics you can contact me at lybrate.com.